This invention relates generally to improvements in a prelube system for high performance internal combustion engines designed to minimize wear to engine components upon start after a period of non-operation. Numerous systems for accomplishing this objective have been patented over the years, including the following:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,066,664 D. J. McNew Dec. 4, 1962 4,061,204 W. C. Kautz, Jr. Dec. 6, 1977 4,628,877 Timothy B. Sundles Dec. 16, 1986 3,422,807 D. E. Waldecker Jan. 21, 1969 3,425,404 J. E. Lamkin Feb. 4, 1969 4,703,727 J. D. Cannon Nov. 3, 1987 4,168,693 L. J. Harrison Sep. 25, 1979 ______________________________________
While some of the elements of the foregoing patents perform similar functions to the elements of this invention, the previous patents require fabrication of special components and are not compatible with the high performance internal combustion engines utilized in the motor home industry. Although each has deficiencies that preclude its use with General Motors, Ford or Chrysler motor homes, such as Harrison's lack of a pressure relief valve in his pump and Cannon's elimination of the oil by-pass channel from the engine block access which voids the engine manufacturers' warranties, none provide a sufficient quantity of oil to the moving parts of the engine farthest away from the engine-driven oil pump at sufficient pressure nor are their electrical controls compatible with the electronic and/or computer-controlled ignitions utilized in modern motor homes.
The previous patents injected oil into the engine oil system at the end of the engine closest to the engine-driven oil pump. The modern high-performance internal combustion engines are equipped with an oil cooler at that end of the system which requires a substantial volume of oil to fill and substantial pressure to displace the air from the cooler and its lines through the engine. The subject invention avoids this by injecting oil into th engine at the point in the lubrication system farthest from the engine-driven oil pump and cooler.
The electronic and/or computer controlled ignition systems for modern high-performance internal combustion engines require positive signals from pressure sensors in the oil and fuel systems as well as the distributor, so that a pre-oiling system controlled in series with the ignition switch of the vehicle will not function, due to lack of a distributor signal, and the orange "check engine" default light will illuminate and can only be cleared by the dealer. Previous patents, such as Cannon and Harrison, have no override system to revert to the vehicle regular ignition system should the electronic ignition default or the supplemental oil supply of Cannon be exhausted before the engine starts.
Each of the previous patents have required original fabrication of at least some of its components and have not been readily installable by the average motor home owner. Thus, there has long existed a need for an inexpensive, self-installed pre-lube system for high-performance internal combustion engines, such as are utilized in the motor home industry, consisting of components readily available from existing stock.